Thailand elections

With parliament’s unsurprising vote, Prayut Chan-o-cha has completed an engineered effort to prolong his rule as premier.

An illegitimate election risks prolonging the country’s problems.

Prayut’s reference to a George Orwell classic has served as yet another front for criticism against the government given its past record and the country’s current state.

While the country’s political future still remains unclear, the monarch will continue to exert influence in how it is shaped.

Doubts about the results and the role of the election commission in particular have further intensified distrust about the country’s institutions and muddied the waters.

The engagement spotlighted the ongoing development of the security realm of the relationship.

The premier has intensified his effort to strengthen his brand in the run-up to much-anticipated polls.

A closer look at what an unprecedented development might mean for upcoming elections and the country’s political future.

A recent interaction highlighted some of the cooperation between both countries in the defense realm.

While the holding of an elusive election in the Southeast Asian state would be a notable step in the restoration of democratic rule, the harder work of managing wider political divisions lies ahead.

Now will the country actually go to the polls as scheduled on March 24 -- and will elections make a difference?

This time around, Thailand’s elections, slated for February 2019, look like they will actually materialize. But can they rescue its troubled democracy?